Moving beyond garage rock but attentive to their roots, New York City alt-rock/pop duo Beau has released a stunningly crafted debut album.
Girl Cried Wolf is short, at 28 minutes, but feels rich and expansive thanks to the creative diversity across its eight tracks.
After a subtly dramatic, vibey Intro, we're led carefully into "Talk To Me," a previously released single, which explores themes of friendship and mental health.
Opening with a well-executed lyrical non sequitur ("You wear it on your sleeve, you can't hide this from me…"), the story then unfolds in its own time. It's a skilfully written song, sung with accuracy and lucidity, and a great illustration of the proficiency of Beau, developed after more than 15 years together; that proficiency is reflected more strongly as the album continues.
In contrast to that straightforward, live-feeling track, the next offering ("Should've Called") features more glossy production, with strings, thrummy bass, synths, and a heavy reverb which makes the song resonate with character. It's a poignant one, and highly evocative.
That's a great contrast with the more stripped-back and no-less impactful, "Messy" which follows. From a sparse start, this song builds strongly to a high-pitched vocal with "It's not over yet" at its heart; this is real and relatable, striking at the heart of human experience with relationships and their painful beauty. The piano ending after a false finish is fabulous and intensely moving.
"What Are You Doing To Me" is the most garage/DIY of Beau's album tracks, with a very likable live feel. You're really close to the band here: it's a dusty practice room and a group of musicians melding over a simple but great song… And then, another change of direction with the retro synth beats and deep-fuzz guitars of "Destroy Us", topped with soaring ethereal backing vocals which rise from the laid-back main body of the song. Here, Beau is exploring, not afraid to add something epic and huge to the mix. It's a bold move, and they're not finished yet.
"Body Parts" and "Home to" complete the record; the first, a jangly, grungy slow paced stomp evolving into an unexpectedly gruff refrain (with hints of Velvet Underground and 60s to 70s experimentalism), and the second a blissed-out acoustic-guitar and piano song, structured neatly to rise high and strong in swathes of hazy sound only end with sweeping, fading feedback.
It's a poignant end to this, the first full-length record from Beau, and a fitting close to a work that is full of promise and fulfillment. The duo has shown prowess, moving between styles neatly without the result feeling disjointed or arbitrary. Girl Cried Wolf is a great listen, and something to cherish.
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